Time Is Running Out
by couchpebbles
Summary: When Stan receives a suspicious e-mail, he wonders how he can do what is asked, and how he can protect Kyle in the process.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Hey guys! I've had this account for, like… ever, and I haven't posted anything. I found this fic I wrote about 2 and a half years ago, so I thought I'd post it! Keep in mind: I was 13, so it's not the _best_.

Please also note that the chapters are really short. I didn't have much of an attention span at the time.

Also, if this wasn't an assignment for school, it would so totally be filled with slashy goodness.

But, yeah- enjoy!

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><p>Chapter 1<p>

It was a warm spring day in the year 2015, and instead of playing outside with all of the other 17-year-olds, Stan sat in his room surfing the internet. Since it was 2015, the computers have updated quite a bit, along with the cars, but who cares anyways?

Brushing his black hair away from his midnight blue eyes, Stan opened up another browser to go into his favourite website: YouTube. While he was watching the newest video from his favourite "Tuber", he saw an alert on the bottom of the page stating that he received a new e-mail. "Hmm, maybe it's from Kenny," Stan mumbled as he clicked open his inbox. The e-mail address was unknown to him. Suspiciously, he clicked the message.

_Stan – I know who you are, even if you don't know who I am. I want you to get me a time machine, even if you think they aren't invented yet. I know that there is one in the whole world. Find it, and give it to me before April 13 – or your friend Kyle gets it._

Stan couldn't believe what he was reading. A time machine? He knows who Stan is? Who is this man? What does he plan on doing to Kyle? Stan ran out of the room to the nearest phone in his house, and dialled his best friend's number. "Hello?" said a voice in the other line. Stan breathed a sigh of relief. "Oh, thank God, Kyle. You're okay." Kyle was quite confused. "Stan? What are you talking about?" Looking over at his computer from the hallway, he asked, "How about you come over and read this e-mail I got?" Kyle hesitated. "O-Okay, Stan. It better not be one of those spam e-mails!"

"A time machine?" Kyle asked after he read the suspicious e-mail. "Exactly what I thought," Stan stated. "Where are we going to get a time machine? The red-headed friend smirked. "Just who do you think you're talking to?" Cracking his knuckles, he opened a new browser, and with his typing skills, Kyle found out who owned the time machine in... 20 seconds flat. "Dude, you're good," Stan mumbled. "Alright, the only person in the whole world with a time machine is the Mafioso Giovanni Zitar who resides in Italy," Kyle told Stan. "Mafioso?" the black-haired teen asked. "A Mafioso is the grand leader of a mafia, and a mafia is a group of really dangerous men," Kyle explained in a tone that made him sound like a phone operator. "Wait, so we're going to steal from the head honcho from a mafia?" Stan spurted. "Well, it seems like it," the red-head muttered. "Ugh, _weak_ dude."

"Anyways, when do you suspect we get going?" Kyle asked. Stan re-read the deadline in the e-mail. "The deadline is April 13, and today is April 6. So we have..." Then it hit them like a blow to the stomach. They had one week.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

The Colorado airport was packed when Stan and Kyle arrived. Screaming babies, rowdy little kids... it was giving Kyle a migraine. The two 15-year-olds looked up towards the flight schedule to see how long they'd have to wait to board the plane to Italy. Luckily for them, they'd have to wait only 5 minutes. Too bad they were bored so much that even watching bread toast seemed enthralling.

"Stan?" Kyle asked as he and Stan boarded the plane. "Yeah?" Stan looked over at Kyle. "Do you know who this mystery man is, or where to meet with him with the time machine?" Kyle whispered. Stan was stunned. "Why didn't I think of that?" the black-haired teen said with a slap to his forehead. As if this were some creepy movie, Stan got a text on his LG Rumour cell phone. Flipping open his mobile phone, he read the message.

_So nice to talk to you again. As I know, you have no clue where you need to meet me with the time machine. Once you get it, you will know._

"Damn it! Of _course_ he wasn't going to say where!" Stan shouted as he angrily put his cell in his pocket. "Calm down, Stan!" Kyle whispered, pulling on the other teen's sleeve. Everyone was looking at them with awkward glances. Feeling embarrassed, Stan sunk down in his seat. "Dude, it's okay if we don't know where to go. It makes this whole situation exciting, don't you think?" Kyle said with a wink. "How can you be so calm?" Stan whispered while gritting his teeth. "This man may kill you if I don't get time machine!" Seeing Kyle's eyes go wide, the black-haired teen felt guilty. "Kyle, I'm so sorry, I-" Kyle burst out in tears. "S-Stan, you have no clue how scared I am! I don't want to leave you! Y-You're my s-super best f-friend!" the red-head exclaimed through his sobs. Not caring who saw, Stan wrapped his arms around Kyle. "It's okay, Kyle. As long as I'm here, no one's going to hurt you," he said in a soothing voice. "You're _my_ super best friend."

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><p>A few hours after Kyle fell asleep, the two friends finally arrived in Italy. "Wake up, Kyle! We're here!" Stan exclaimed while shaking his best friend awake. Almost falling off his chair, Kyle woke up. "Really?" he asked, fixing his hat which was the same colour as his green eyes. "Yeah, dude!" Excitedly, the two got off the plane and grabbed their bags. "Uhm, Stan, how are we going to get to the mafia's headquarters?" Kyle asked with a questioning look. Stan laughed. "You know me, Kyle." Actually, Kyle didn't know wasn't sure anymore. With his brow furrowed, he cocked his head to the side. "We're going to drive!" Stan exclaimed while pulling the red-head towards the rental car place. "Stan? <em>Stan<em>? **STOP**~!"


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

"I'm sorry, young man, but we have no more cars," the owner of the rental car place said with a strong Italian accent. "But sir, my friend here is going to die!" Stan exclaimed. Kyle looked puzzled, along with the manager. "Stan, let me take care of this," Kyle whispered in his ear. Kyle walked up to the counter and started making small talk in perfect Italian. _Dang, I know I should've taken Italian classes with Kyle_, Stan thought. As the manager laughed, he pulled out a key for the rental car out back. Kyle smiled, and as he and Stan were walking out of the rental building, the manager called out to them, "Have a nice wedding!" Stan turned to Kyle. "What was that about?" Kyle put on his most innocent face. "Nothing~," he said in a sing-song voice.

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><p>After a little fight over who was going to drive (Stan obviously won), the two of them were traveling around Italy. "Wow, look at all of the beautiful sights!" Kyle gushed, looking out the window of the Mercedes. Stan nodded, not really taking recognition of the fact that the sights were actually the most beautiful he has ever seen. The red-head was becoming worried. The taller of the two would always love to marvel at almost anything, and right now, he looked so out of it. "...Stan? What's up?" Kyle asked in a confused tone. Luckily for Kyle, this snapped Stan out of his daze. "Oh, nothing important." The ginger cocked an eyebrow, but didn't press the matter.<p>

"How long until we get to the Mafioso's headquarters?" Kyle asked impatiently. Stan stayed silent. "...You don't know where we're going, do you?" The black-haired teen's eyebrow twitched. "I take that as a no," Kyle sighed. Kyle got an idea. "How about we stop at a café? They most likely have a computer, and we can eat." Stan smiled. "You always know what to do." "What's that supposed to mean?" the ginger snapped. "W-What? Nothing bad, I assure you!"

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><p>The sound of slender fingers tapping on a keyboard filled the silent café. Every minute, the typer would take a sip of his green tea. At his final tap on the keyboard, Kyle called his friend over. "Stan, I got it!" he whispered to the pacing black-haired teen. Excited, Stan practically sprinted to the computer. "Where is it?" he asked loudly. "The headquarters? It's supposedly hidden in a forest on the outskirts of Italy – approximately 25 minutes from here," Kyle explained. "Well, Kyle," Stan started while putting his arm around Kyle's shoulders. "Get ready for the excitement."<p> 


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

"What? _This_ is the place?" Stan gaped. He and Kyle pulled down the rocky road that led to the mansion. It was a faded grey colour with lots of windows, and it had a metal gate. Above all, it was humungous. "Well, according to my research, it is," Kyle stated while shutting his Mac laptop. Stan's eyebrow twitched for the second time this whole 'trip'. "I have two things to say to you. One – that sounded like the Magic School Bus. Two – why did we waste time going to the café if you had your laptop?" Kyle winked and said, "I wanted a green tea."

Pulling up to the side of the road (away from the house, mind you), the two got out of the car and sat on the grass, being cautious. "Stan, we shouldn't formulate a plan right here," Kyle whispered. "It's way too dangerous!" Stan smirked at the red-head. "You honestly don't think I made a plan?" The ginger blinked. "You did? When?" he curiously asked. "While you were sleeping on the plane," the black-haired teen responded simply. "...What is it?" Kyle asked impatiently. "We act like we're weapon dealers, get in, grab the time machine, and get out." The red-head looked thoughtful. "That... is actually a good plan," he mumbled. "But how are we gonna do it?"

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><p>"Sta-a-an, this tux isn't comfy!" Kyle silently whined, adjusting his jacket. Stan rolled his eyes and tapped the ginger on the back with his suitcase. "Don't worry, it won't be long," he whispered. While fidgeting with his own suitcase, Kyle nervously tapped on the door.<p>

In Stan's suitcase, he had a sniper, and Kyle's was empty so he could put the time machine in it. Startling the two, a really buff hitman opened the door. He had a tight fitting black T-shirt, ripped camouflage jeans, and a gun tucked into his grey belt. His blond hair was buzzed off, and he was slightly tan. In fluent English, the man asked, "What do you two want?" Stan, without budging, responded. "We are two weapon dealers who came all the way from America to deliver these to your boss. It is a gift from the government for his grand success in an assassination from years back. Unfortunately, this is the only information we have received. We do not know what is in our suitcases." The hitman raised a hand, causing Kyle to mentally panic. Luckily, he brought his hand inside the house, ushering them in with a nod. Stan nodded back, grabbed Kyle's arm, and walked in.

April 11 – Stan and Kyle are inside the mafia headquarters. Two more days. _Two more days_.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Kyle surveyed the room he was sitting in with his vibrant green eyes. There was Stan conversing with the short and old Mafioso, brown vases by every door, a long wooden table, and very detailed paintings Kyle has never seen before. He also saw Stan's midnight blue eyes looking at him, signalling him to retrieve the time machine with a sentence. Kyle nodded, stood, and excused himself. "I'm sorry, but I need to check my sugar levels, as my hands are shaking." He knew that he was shaking out of fear, but using his diabetes as an excuse was much better then saying he needed to use the washroom. That's easy to see through. With a nod, he left the room.

Since luck seemed to be on his side, he did not require an escort, and he had already had a tour of the mansion. The room that had the time machine, according to his research, was behind a painting, in a safe inside of the lounge. It was to the left of him, and triple-checking that the security cameras were off, he strolled on in to remove the painting from the wall. As he twirled the dial to the correct combination, the safe made a low humming noise. If it weren't Kyle cracking it, the person would think they were caught. But this is Kyle – he knew that it means he has 2 numbers left. Finally, the safe opened with a click at an eerily slow speed.

It was the time machine. It was medium sized (just small enough to fit into the suitcase), had a lot of dials on it, and was exactly as they imagined it. Sliding the contraption into his suitcase, Kyle left the room.

As he passed by a room, he realized something was wrong. Where was the mafia? Speeding up, he went to the front door where Stan and the Mafioso were. "Phew, my sugar is at a healthy 6 – I thought it was lower!" the red-head casually stated. "By the way, where is your crew?" The Mafioso blinked. "Oh, they're resting up for an assassination tomorrow night. Why, were you paranoid?" the older man snickered. Kyle blushed. "Well, see you later," Stan said with a nod. The Mafioso Giovanni Zitar nodded back. The two teens returned to the Mercedes unharmed.

"That was so... nerve-wracking!" Kyle exclaimed as Stan drove away from the forest the mansion was in. "Tell me about it. It took me a little bit to convince Zitar that we were illegally giving him weapons, but it worked out!" Stan said with a grin. Kyle couldn't help but smiling back. _Finally, we're a step closer to meeting the mystery man, and we have to meet him by tomorrow, _Kyle anxiously thought to himself. _Luckily the flight is only 5 hours long. We'll make it back in time, without me having to die..._ Stirring him out of his thoughts, Stan's cell phone beeped, alerting him that he had a new text.

_Excellent, you two. You have succeeded in getting me the time machine. You must meet me at Central Ave. in Pennsylvania. Good luck, and hurry – your time is running out. _


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: Alright, this is the last chapter. Hope you guys enjoyed TIRO and all of its fail!

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><p>Chapter 6<p>

Upon arrival to the Pennsylvania airport, the two got into a taxi and told the driver to go to the designated road. "S-Stan? I'm scar-" Kyle was cut off because Stan was _kinda_ hugging him too hard. "Kyle, I already told you. You're my super best friend, so that means nothing will happen to you." Kyle hugged Stan back, soaking his shirt with tears. Stan laughed. "You were always so sensitive." The redhead couldn't help himself, so he giggled along with Stan. Somehow, Kyle's fears demolished, until they arrived.

The street was empty and appeared dark, even though it was broad daylight out. As they stepped out of the taxi, the driver started driving, making Kyle fall. "Oof!" When Stan helped him up, he couldn't help but notice the really bright light reflecting out of a window in an abandoned apartment. Scared out of their wits, the pair walked into the room that emitted the light, not knowing what luck, fortune, or the future held on to for them.

"Why hello, Stan and Kyle," a deep voice greeted. "Who are you? Show yourself!" Stan demanded, even if he wasn't. The man chuckled and walked out of his spot in the shadows. The man had chestnut brown hair, grey eyes, and a perfect complexion. He looked like he was in his late 30's. "My name is Antonio Glithberg. Where is the time machine?" the man asked. Kyle reached out and handed him a suitcase. Antonio chuckled. "You don't know what you're doing, young boy." He opened the suitcase and found it empty. "**FREEZE**!" the FBI shouted, coming from all directions, pointing guns at Antonio. "Y-You tricked me?" Antonio asked dumb-founded towards Kyle with his mouth agape. Kyle chuckled. "It seems you don't know who you are up against," Kyle stated. "I traced your e-mail to Stan, and along the whole way, I was two steps in front of you. I also read that you were causing the country a little bit of problems, so I contacted the FBI. I thought I could do society a favour." Antonio was shocked and couldn't say anything. The FBI pulled him away, and drove off with him. "So long for Antonio Glithberg," Kyle happily sighed.

Once the teens arrived home, Stan wanted answers. Immediately. "H-How did you do it?" Kyle looked at him and blinked. "You know me, Stan. I would do anything to stop bad things from happening." Stan looked right at Kyle. "So you weren't scared?" This made Kyle laugh. "Of course I was!" Kyle admitted once his laughing fit died down. Stan smiled. "Yeah, well, I always knew you were a scaredy-cat." Kyle's eyebrow twitched. Stan punched his arm. "C'mon, let's go and get something to eat," he suggested. "The deal at Wendy's ends tonight and time is running out."

The End


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